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Reference.org
Possible world
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<p>A possible world is a complete and consistent way the world is or could have been. Possible worlds are widely used as a formal device in <a href="/facts/Logic/8JnpJLtt">logic</a>, <a href="/facts/Philosophy/zAH5PVD6">philosophy</a>, and <a href="/facts/Linguistics/oQuamvf2">linguistics</a> in order to provide a semantics for <a href="/facts/Intensional_logic/uHHP4TWR">intensional</a> and <a href="/facts/Modal_logic/I7uXvYYT">modal logic</a>. Their <a href="/facts/Metaphysical/fSFt6SHe">metaphysical</a> status has been a subject of controversy in philosophy, with <a href="/facts/Modal_realists/QkMhGpXj">modal realists</a> such as <a href="/facts/David_Lewis_(philosopher)/8aG4Ex6V">David Lewis</a> arguing that there are literally existing alternate realities, and others such as <a href="/facts/Robert_Stalnaker/q0wY3nuL">Robert Stalnaker</a> arguing that alternate realities do not exist. </p>